ZAGREB, March 24 (Hina) - Representatives of the ruling coalition and a part of the Opposition on Friday indicated a high degree of agreement in the need for transforming the Croatian Radio and Television (HRT) into a public medium,
but not in whose draft law the parliament should adopt. While MPs of the ruling coalition at the Croatian Parliament House of Representatives held that the Government should suggest to the Parliament a completely new law, in a month at the latest, the Croatian Party of Rights (HSP) deemed that its draft amendments to the existing law on the HRT guarantees turning the HRT into a public medium. The legislative committee and the committee for the Constitution, rule-book and political system, suggested the Lower House not adopt HSP's draft, but to take is as a reference point for a discussion on the process of transforming the HRT. Party benches of the Croatian Social Liberal Party (HSLS),
ZAGREB, March 24 (Hina) - Representatives of the ruling coalition
and a part of the Opposition on Friday indicated a high degree of
agreement in the need for transforming the Croatian Radio and
Television (HRT) into a public medium, but not in whose draft law
the parliament should adopt.
While MPs of the ruling coalition at the Croatian Parliament House
of Representatives held that the Government should suggest to the
Parliament a completely new law, in a month at the latest, the
Croatian Party of Rights (HSP) deemed that its draft amendments to
the existing law on the HRT guarantees turning the HRT into a public
medium.
The legislative committee and the committee for the Constitution,
rule-book and political system, suggested the Lower House not adopt
HSP's draft, but to take is as a reference point for a discussion on
the process of transforming the HRT.
Party benches of the Croatian Social Liberal Party (HSLS), Social
Democratic Party (SDP) and the Istrian Democratic Assembly (IDS)
agreed that the Government should be the one drawing up the entire
law on the HRT.
Anto Djapic of the HSP accused the ruling coalition of not wanting
an urgent transformation of the state television into a public one,
although it had advocated this while it had been in the opposition.
He said the HSP wished to avoid the influence of parties on the HRT
hitherto, suggesting that the President of the Republic should
appoint a Council of Governors at the HRT which would not consist of
politicians.
The Council would appoint and dismiss members of the Supervisory
Committee, director and all editors, the motion reads.
Djapic explained that in drafting the motion, the party had relied
on experiences of the BBC, and had "consulted representatives of
the international community".
The HSP suggests that the state continue being the majority owner of
the HRT, and that subscription be rescinded, while its financing
should be done out of the government budget.
The motion would make the regular close cooperation between the HRT
information programmes and the government legal.
The party suggested that the HRT management should in extraordinary
circumstances be taken over by the Interior Ministry, should the
HRT refuse to act according to Government requests.
The HSP, however, did not specify what the term "legal censorship"
would mean, nor the "curfew introduction" at the HRT and its
transformation into a "President of the Republic's gazette".
The suggestion that the subscription to be cancelled as a type of
"television tax" was deemed as interesting, but the item for
financing the television was not included in this year's budget.
(hina) lml jn